The Silver's Echo
by Sootleopard
Summary: With her mother turned traitor, and her father in another clan, Echokit will have to live with the constant taunts. Her mother escaped, and slowly picking off the clan, will Echokit be able to withstand her mother's clutching paws that are trying to pull her away from her home? (R&R!)
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Two pairs of eyes flashed in the dark night, claws unsheathed and ready to battle. A gray she-cat with tan markings hissed, "It's time for me to rule AshClan Minnowstar!"

Minnowstar snarled, "Never Silverpeak! Cats who choose to betray their clans should live as rogues or loners!" Silverpeak leapt as Minnowstar, her green eyes ablaze with fury. Minnowstar raised herself, grappling Silverpeak.

A screech tore from Silverpeak's throat as Minnowstar bit into her shoulder. The two rolled, but Minnowstar wouldn't let go. Spitting hate, Silverpeak struggled free. Blood trickled down the gash in her shoulder, and her fur was fluffed up to twice its size in anger.

Minnowstar hissed in pain as Silverpeak launched herself forward, her teeth burying deep into her leg. Minnowstar snapped her head around and bit into Silverpeak's ear.

Silverpeak snarled, "You'll regret that foxdung!" Minnowstar thrashed her head, jerking Silverpeak's jaws off her leg and tearing up her ear.

Minnowstar hissed, "Why did I let you stay as deputy after you had your kits? What will you do now that you have to leave your daughter?"

Silverpeak growled, "That kit can die for all I care. She was nothing but a nuisance to me!" Minnowstar lashed her tail; no kit should be talked about that way! Leaping at Silverpeak, she managed to surprise her.

Minnowstar's teeth dug into her neck. Silverpeak flashed her claws over Minnowstar's muzzle. Struggling free, she tried to back away into the trees. Lighting flashed overhead, lighting up the two cats.

The nearest tree crashed down with, ablaze with flames. It quickly spread. Silverpeak widened her eyes in fear. Minnowstar stalked forward, her eyes narrowed with anger. She snarled at Silverpeak, "See? This is what happens to cats who betray their clans!"

Silverpeak crouched down, her eyes wide with fear, "I'm sorry! I really am! Please forgive me!" Minnowstar still had her angry look on her face.

More lighting crackled overhead and rain began to pour down, settling down the flames as they spread further into the forest. Minnowstar shoved her face into Silverpeak's her eyes narrowed in anger, "Cats who betray their clan and clan leader deserve to _die._"

Silverpeak screeched as Minnowstar bit into her throat. She scrabbled on the ground, her claws making deep gouges in the earth. Minnowstar released her grip on the she-cat, and she gasped in pure agony.

She eyes were dull with pain and the wound dripping blood. Minnowstar spat, "I'll leave you here to die a death you deserve. " The gray she cat dragged her self away, into the dark trees. Smoke filled the air, and the faint sound of a last twig crackling died off.

Silverpeak screwed up her eyes as the smoke and ash blew in the wind. She shook her head, _That mousebrain! I could have made AshClan great!_ She dragged herself out of the forest, over the wooden twoleg fence.

Blood dripped down from her wounds, and her vision became fuzzy. Jumping down with a grunt, she landed on the stone gray paths of Twolegplace. She padded a around a corner, exhaustion screaming in her muscles.

She collapsed near the thunderpath, her eyes getting droopy. Suddenly, she felt large and strong paws pick her up. She closed her eyes in satisfaction, _Just you wait Minnowstar. I'm not dead yet!_


	2. Alone

Chapter 1

Echokit wailed as Foxkit leapt on top of her, pushing her head into the earth. Foxkit sneered, "What's wrong? Can't fight back _halfClan?_" Echokit thrashed, pain creeping up her spine at the weight of Foxkit's paws on her skull.

She cried, "Mossfeather!" Foxkit glanced around in surprise, and released Echokit. Scrambling to hide in the back of the nursery, Foxkit was stopped by a very angry Mossfeather. Mossfeather hissed, her dappled pelt fluffed up, "What do you think you're doing Foxkit? She's only half a moon old; you shouldn't be so rough with her!"

Foxkit opened his mouth in anger, "But..." Mossfeather stopped him by pushing him away from the nursery, and away from the small silver kitten.

Mossfeather crouched by Echokit, liking her fur, "What did he do to you my sweet?"

She whimpered, "He hurt my head." She squealed in pain as Mossfeather pressed lightly on her head, "Stop! It _hurts_!" Mossfeather picked the kit up and took her to the medicine clearing, where Brambleflicker was busily sorting herbs.

Brambleflicker twitched his whiskers, "Echokit? What happened this time?"

Mossfeather replied crossly, "Foxkit has been bullying her again. That's what." Brambleflicker rolled his eyes.

He called to his apprentice, "Twistpaw!" The tiny tabby apprentice limped over, his mouth full of thyme leaves. Brambleflicker meowed to his apprentice, "Treat her will you? Foxkit hurt her head. Poor kit, her skull hasn't had time to grow properly yet. She'll end up with it damaged if Foxkit doesn't back off."

Twistpaw nodded, before dropping the thyme leaves spitting at the bitter taste. He pushed a few of the leaves toward Echokit, "Eat them." She obeyed, gagging at the horrible taste. Once she swallowed them he set one poppy seed in front of her.

She lapped it up, curling in the small nest she was settled in. Mossfeather curled herself around Echokit, lapping at her sleek silver coat. She began to suckle, her belly rumbling. There wasn't much milk left thanks to Mossfeather's older kit and the scorched leafbare forest.

Twistpaw dropped some borage leaves by Mossfeather's paws, and she ate them, meowing, "Thanks, but I don't think I'll need these anymore." Once she was full, Echokit nestled into the curve of Mossfeather's belly, and fell into her dreams.

_Echokit narrowed her eyes against the scene, her small legs trembling. There was a beautiful silver and tan she-cat, sitting with a dark gray tom, their tails entwined. The scene changed again, and she saw herself in front of Minnowstar, as she angrily confronted the silver-and-tan she-at that she noticed before._

_ Then she saw herself, being born for the first time. She opened her moth in shock, and the scene switched again. Echokit saw the silver she-cat and Minnowstar in the heat of battle, flames crackling around them._

_ She only heard one word before the dream swept on, "_Silverpeak" _Next, she was standing in a Twoleg nest. She saw the pelt of Silverpeak, wrapped in strange cobwebs. She was crouching by a rock with a shallow dip in it. There was a tiny pool of water inside._

_ Once more she was swept away, only this time she was in total darkness, voices she didn't understand ringing in her ears. She jerked, fear rising in her chest like a trapped bird._

Echokit was jerked awake, weak sunlight filtered into the den. Mossfeather was still curled around her, making the air stuffy and hot. Echokit tottered on her paws, blinking sleep from her eyes.

Mossfeather woke at her movements, yawning. Twistpaw flicked her ears, "You may go back to the nursery. If it starts hurting again come back." Mossfeather nodded, pushing Echokit out of the medicine den.

Once they made it into the cool, shady nursery, Foxkit was staring at her with angry eyes. He growled, "HalfClan tattletale." He squeaked as Mossfeather cuffed him around the ear.

She snapped angrily, "Don't be a mouse-brain Foxkit! You could have killed her, you reckless brat!"

Foxkit grumbled, "I couldn't have killed her! There's no way I could kill that halfClan crowfood!" His rude retort earned him another cuff on the side of the head, which he scrambled away at. Mossfeather licked her between the ears gently.

She pounced at a small scrap of moss, her claws shredding it. She squealed in surprise as a black-and-white pelt flashed in front of her, taking the scrap of moss. It was Gingerkit; her strange orange eyes glowed with excitement.

Gingerkit squeaked, "You'll never catch me Echokit!" Echokit took after her, her tiny legs letting her go fast as possible. She jumped on the older kit, squealing as she landed square on her back. Gingerkit rolled, squeaking as Echokit lung on like a burr. She twitched her ears as she heard Mossfeather and Raggedbelly talking, "I can't wait! They'll be apprentices by sunhigh."

Echokit tore the scrap of moss from her jaws. Foxkit sprinted after her, the older kit snatching it away from Echokit. He taunted, "You'll never get it back _halfClan_."

Echokit's silver fur ruffled around her shoulders, and she charged headfirst into Foxkit's belly; knocking the breath out of him. He opened his mouth in a gasp, and the moss fell out. Picking it up quickly; she sprinted back to her nest.

She dropped it, then sitting down on it. She twitched her whiskers as Gingerkit skidded to a halt, her face getting smushed into Mossfeather's fur.

Sunlight filtered into the den. It was nearly sunhigh.

She struggled to her paws, tired after the game. Hopping out of the nursery, she screwed up her eyes against the sun; which was shining through gaps in the cream-colored clouds.

Sootkit sprinted out of the nursery, squealing, "The hunting patrol's back!"

A golden she-cat came out of a dip in the ground. A scorched rabbit hung limply in her jaws. A few more warriors followed, one carrying a sparrow, another carrying a mouse under his chin and a vole in his jaws.

The warriors dropped their prey on the pile, and then padded away to the warrior's den. Gingerkit took after her, picking up the vole from the fresh-kill pile. Echokit sat by the nursery, wishing she could try some.

She knew she was still suckling, and prey was out of the question so far. The sun had been covered by fluffy yellow clouds. Gingerkit and Foxkit were sharing the vole. Their pelts were washed clean and they were flashing glances at the boulder where their leader made announcements.

Just as the cats were about to leave for the sunhigh patrol, Minnowstar leapt up onto the boulder, "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the boulder for a Clan meeting!"

Cats began streaming out of the dens, whispering to each other in excitement. Minnowstar continued, "Gingerkit and Foxkit have been with us for six moons, and now the time has come to make them apprentices."

He beckoned Gingerkit forward, "Fernfoot, you have courage, strength, and bravery. You learned much from your old mentor, Juniperpelt. Share these skills with Gingerpaw."

Foxkit crept forward, his big blue eyes wide. Minnowstar meowed, "Dimstream, you will mentor Foxpaw. You have loyalty, fairness, and sympathy. Share these with Foxpaw so that one day he will be much like you.

Minnowstar flicked her tail dismissively, and the cats scattered. The sun was just going down. Echokit pelted pack into the nursery, crashing into Mossfeather. She was standing by the front of the den. Echokit backed up, staring at Mossfeather.

Mossfeather bent down and touched noses with the small silver kit, "Listen my sweet, I'm going back to the warrior's den tonight. You'll have to be on your own."

Echokit wailed, "You can't!"

Mossfeather shook her head stressfully, "Echokit, I'm sorry but I won't stay in the nursery for another six moons. I've spent too much time away from duties, we need to gather as much prey and fortify our borders if we are to survive. Copperpelt will nurse you."

Echokit was silent, and she looked at her paws. Suddenly she shot Mossfeather a look through angry narrowed green eyes, which was hauntingly familiar to Mossfeather. Echokit spat "If you loved me you would stay to watch me grow! I guess you like every other cat, always going to hate me for what I am! A _halfClan._"

Mossfeather stared blankly at her, and then she padded away from the nursery, her tail down. Echokit watched her go, her fur prickling with hate.

Echokit turned restlessly, the cool night air filled into the nursery. Echokit shivered as cold air swept through a hole in the leafy bush. It had become cold without the warmth of Mossfeather.

Her head ached and her stomach growled, but she wouldn't allow Copperpelt to feed her. She twisted restlessly in the empty nest; she tucked into the moss, on the hard dirt floor of the den but covered in the warm moss.

She fell into an unsteady sleep. She woke almost instantly, realizing she had poked her leg on a sharp root. She sighed, sleep tugging at her eyes. She blinked, and once she opened her eyes small specks of snow were coming into the den.

She struggled to her paws, wincing as her stomach growled loudly. She dragged herself out of the den, her short legs sinking in the drift. The snow landed lightly on her back, creating an icy shell on her it.

Other cats were struggling in the snow, one warrior uncovering the fresh-kill pile. She winced as her stomach growled again, making it feel as if claws were tugging at her belly. Sootkit rolled out of the nursery, her paws throwing up snow.

A clump of it landed in Echokit's face, and she sneezed. She saw Sootkit stifle a laugh. Her pelt spiked in annoyance, Echokit flung a lump of snow at Sootkit, and it cascaded around her. Sootkit stared at her with her mouth open wide in fake anger.

Echokit sneezed. Sootkit yawned, "I'm _hungry!_"

Echokit closed her eyes, her stomach rumbling, "Me too." She rolled back to the nursery, her long silver fur clumping up with snow. She pounced into the nursery, the snow chilling her fur.

Sootkit followed in after, her paws churning in the chilly air. Sootkit squealed to Copperpelt, "We're hungry!" Copperpelt sighed, and rolled onto her side. Her other kits were already suckling. Echokit padded hesitantly into the mossy nest, only picking a spot after Sootkit went in without hesitation, suckling her mother's milk.

Echokit squeezed into a spot next to Sootkit, kneading Copperpelt's belly as she suckled. Her stomach felt full and warm, Copperpelt's fur giving her warmth in the chilly air. She found herself purring as Sootkit wriggled around, trying to get comfy.

She dozed off into sleep when she saw a tortoiseshell cat bending by her, licking her silver fur clean.


	3. Twisted Fate

Chapter 2

Echokit squawked as she fell into a deep snow-hole. She struggled back up as Sootkit and the others raced around; their paws kicking up snow.

Frost covered the plants, making the camp a ghostly white color. She shivered, snow coating her pelt. She hopped after the others, struggling to not sink in the snow. Her tan paws were numb with cold.

He silver fur quickly got lumped as she bounded after the others. Almost her whole entire kit hood had gone past, and she would become an apprentice in a few days. She licked her lips, wincing at the chill that clawed at her fur.

Sootkit pounced to her, "Who do you think our mentors will be? I can't wait to be a warrior!"

Echokit twitched her ears, "I don't know! I'm not psychic!"

Sootkit took her ear in her jaws, and Echokit rolled with her, squealing in delight.

She broke free from Sootkit, and bounded through the snow, bouncing away from Sootkit every time she got close. She rolled into a bush, thorns plucking at her pelt. Sootkit chased after her, letting out a shrill yowl as she collided with the bush.

Echokit squeezed out, flattening her ears as she saw several thorns sticking out of Sootkit's face and chest. Sootkit shook her head, "Ugh, thorns! I hate them so much!" Echokit didn't say anything, but reached up and plucked some out with her teeth.

Sootkit flinched backwards, and thin trickle of blood seeping out of the cut. Echokit took out the rest, licking her tongue over her mouth, "All better?" Sootkit nodded, shaking her head to clear away some blood.

Echokit licked them clean, curling her lip at the taste of blood. Sootkit shot off without warning. Echokit looked to the side; four cats were dragging something into camp. The heavy scent of death filled the air.

A familiar scent was on the cat's fur. Echokit felt sick, "Twistpaw!" She hurried over, her tail bobbing. Minnowstar jumped down. Twistpaw was bloodied and tattered. Killed savagely, Echokit could tell it wasn't a clean death, it was _torture_.

Minnowstar nosed Twistpaw's paw, taking out a silver tuft of fur from her claws. Minnowstar looked up, horror had dulled her gaze. She spat out the tuft of fur, "Silverpeak!" She clawed the ground, ripping up the grass, "Silverpeak is still alive!"

A ripple of shock passed through the cats, and a few stared at her, fear in their eyes. Echokit shrank in her pelt; the stares seemed hostile and untrusting. She flinched backwards, into a tiny shaded overhang of leaves.

She crept forward, flattening her ears and ignoring her clanmates stares. She looked up at Minnowstar, voice trembling, "She's in Twolegplace." Her dream had been of Silverpeak's history.

Minnowstar glanced at the kit, "How do you know this? You didn't sneak out, did you?"

Foxpaw called out from the crowd of cats, "I bet she did, probably to go see her father, from another clan!" Echokit glared at him, her fur bushing.

Minnowstar snapped, "Quiet Foxpaw, let her talk."

Echokit whispered, "I had a dream. You were fighting with her, Minnowstar. Then she was at Twolegplace, being cared for."

Minnowstar nodded, looking down on the tiny kit, "Thank you, Echokit."

Echokit scrambled back to the shadowy overhang, her pelt prickling.

Brambleflicker was watching her, grief and curiosity in her gaze. Echokit tensed up as Brambleflicker walked over to her, his white pelt fluffed up. She looked away as he came close to her, "What do you want?"

Brambleflicker laid his tail on her back, he meowed gently, "Echokit, I want you to become my apprentice. Your dreams are special, you can see into the past, what has happened before you. That power can be valuable."

Echokit looked up at him, "You want another apprentice so soon?"

Brambleflicker twitched his ears, "I'm getting old, Echokit. I won't be around for very long anymore, I can't leave the clan without a medicine cat."

Echokit flattened her ears, "Won't Twistpaw be mad, that I'm replacing him?"

Brambleflicker sighed, "No he won't, he'll be happy for you."

Echokit looked back up at him, "I actually wanted to be a medicine cat apprentice. I didn't want to tell anyone, just in case they thought I was weird."

Brambleflicker purred, "There's nothing weird about wanting to be a medicine cat! Hey, think about it, maybe you can see into the future too."

Echokit meowed, "I'll become your apprentice, it just doesn't feel right to me, hurting another cat."

Brambleflicker nodded, "Let's get out from here then, and tell Minnowstar about your choice." Echokit nodded, and followed after Brambleflicker. Foxpaw sneered at her as she passed, and tried to nip at her tail.

She turned and swiped her paw over his muzzle, and hissed at him. She curled her lip and followed Brambleflicker the rest of the way. She felt her paws sink into the cool sand of Minnowstar's den.

Minnowstar was pacing. Her head snapped up as the sound of Brambleflicker's pawsteps. She meowed, "What do you want, Brambleflicker?"

Echokit piped up first, "I want to be Brambleflicker's apprentice!"

Minnowstar tipped her head, "Why is that Echokit?"

Echokit meowed, "I don't like the fact of hurting other cats. It doesn't seem right. I want to heal, not destroy something, or… someone." She felt her fur twitch in anticipation.

Minnowstar replied after what felt like a hundred moons, "Alright, would you like this to be a surprise?"

Echokit thought for a second, "Yeah, I want it to be a surprise, Sootkit and the others wouldn't suspect a thing.

Minnowstar licked her lips, "Alright, you may go."

Cats were still gathered by Twistpaw, grooming his fur clean from blood. Echokit flinched away from his glassy eyes. She scampered back to the nursery, nearly crashing into Sootkit. She was watching from inside the nursery, her gray pelt ruffled.

She glanced up in surprise, "Echokit? I thought you were in trouble- or something." Echokit shook her head, and headed to a corner in the nursery. She laid down there, and wondered about her apprenticeship until she fell asleep.


End file.
